Search

In this work, three novel Zn(ii)-CPs with diverse structures and fascinating topologies can be highly selective and sensitive luminescent sensors for detection of Fe3+.

Weak radiative hyperon decays, important to test the strong interaction and relevant in searches for beyond the standard model physics, have remained puzzling both experimentally and theoretically for a long time. The recently updated branching fraction and first measurement of the asymmetry parameter of $\Lambda\to n\gamma$ by the BESIII Collaboration further exacerbate the issue, as none of the existing predictions can describe the data. We show in this letter that the covariant baryon chiral perturbation theory, with constraints from the latest measurements of hyperon non-leptonic decays, can well describe the BESIII data. The predicted branching fraction and asymmetry parameter for $\Xi^-\to\Sigma^-\gamma$ are also in agreement with the experimental data. We note that a more precise measurement of the asymmetry parameter, which is related with that of $\Sigma^+\to p\gamma$, is crucial to test Hara's theorem. We further predict the branching fraction and asymmetry parameter of $\Sigma^0\to n\gamma$, whose future measurement can serve as a highly nontrivial check on our understanding of weak radiative hyperon decay and on the covariant baryon chiral perturbation theory., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures

The $DK$ interaction in isospin zero is known to be attractive to such an extent that a bound state can be generated, which can be associated with the mysterious $D_{s0}^*(2317)$. In this work, we calculate the $DK$ femtoscopic correlation function in the coupled-channel framework for different source sizes that can directly probe the strongly attractive $DK$ interaction, which is otherwise inaccessible due to the unstable nature of $D$ and $K$ mesons, and therefore can help elucidate the nature of $D_{s0}^*(2317)$. We further generalize the study of source size dependence to various interactions, ranging from repulsive, weakly attractive, moderately attractive, and strongly attractive, in a square-well model. We hope that our study can motivate future experimental measurements of the $DK$ correlation function and other interactions relevant to the understanding of the nature of the many exotic hadrons discovered so far., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; clarifications added and discussions refined, to appear in Physical Review D

In this work, a refined Bayesian neural network (BNN) based approach with six inputs including the proton number, mass number, and engineered features associated with the pairing effect, shell effect, isospin effect, and ``abnormal" shape staggering effect of $^{181,183,185}$Hg, is proposed to accurately describe nuclear charge radii. The new approach is able to well describe the charge radii of atomic nuclei with $A\ge40$ and $Z\ge20$. The standard root-mean-square (rms) deviation is $0.014$ fm for both the training and validation data. In particular, the predicted charge radii of proton-rich and neutron-rich calcium isotopes are found in good agreement with data. We further demonstrate the reliability of the BNN approach by investigating the variations of the rms deviation with extrapolation distances, mass numbers, and isospin asymmetries., 16 pages, 6 figures

Inspired by the recent discovery of the doubly charmed tetraquark state $$T_{cc}^{+}$$ T cc + by the LHCb Collaboration, we perform a systematic study of masses and strong decays of open charm hexaquark states $${\Sigma }_{c}^{(*)}\Sigma _{c}^{(*)}$$ Σ c ( ∗ ) Σ c ( ∗ ) . Taking into account heavy quark spin symmetry breaking, we predict several bound states of isospin $$I=0$$ I = 0 , $$I=1$$ I = 1 , and $$I=2$$ I = 2 in the one boson exchange model. Moreover, we adopt the effective Lagrangian approach to estimate the decay widths of $${\Sigma }_{c}^{(*)}\Sigma _{c}^{(*)} \rightarrow \Lambda _{c}\Lambda _{c}$$ Σ c ( ∗ ) Σ c ( ∗ ) → Λ c Λ c and their relevant ratios via the triangle diagram mechanism, which range from a few MeV to a few tens of MeV. We strongly recommend future experimental searches for the $${\Sigma }_{c}^{(*)}\Sigma _{c}^{(*)}$$ Σ c ( ∗ ) Σ c ( ∗ ) hexaquark states in the $$\Lambda _c\Lambda _c$$ Λ c Λ c invariant mass distributions.

Observation of high energy and very high emission from Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) is crucial to study the gigantic explosion and the underline processes. With a large field-of-view and almost full duty cycle, the Water Cherenkov Detector Array (WCDA), a sub-array of the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), is appropriate to monitor the very high energy emission from unpredictable transients such as GRBs. Nevertheless, the main issue for an extensive air shower array is the high energy threshold which limits the horizon of the detector. To address this issue a new trigger method is developed in this article to lower the energy threshold of WCDA for GRB observation. The proposed method significantly improves the detection efficiency of WCDA for gamma-rays around the GRB direction at 10-300 GeV. The sensitivity of the WCDA for GRB detection with the new trigger method is estimated. The achieved sensitivity of the quarter WCDA array above 10 GeV is comparable with that of Fermi-LAT. The data analysis process and corresponding fluence upper limit for GRB 190719C is presented as an example.

Purpose: This study aims to estimate the proton stopping power ratio (SPR) by using 80–120 kV and 120 kV–6 MV dual-energy CT (DECT) in a fully simulation-based approach for proton therapy dose calculations. Methods: Based on a virtual CT system, a two-step approach is applied to obtain the reference attenuation coefficient for image reconstruction. The effective atomic number (EAN) and electron density ratio (EDR) are estimated from two CT scans. The SPR is estimated using a calibration based on known materials to obtain a piecewise linear relationship between the EAN and the logarithm of the mean excitation energy, ln I m . The calibration phantoms are constructed from reference tissue materials taken from ICRU Report 44. Our approach is evaluated through using the ICRP110 human phantom. The respective influences of noise and beam hardening effects are studied. Results: With the beam hardening correction applied, the results of 120 kV–6 MV DECT are comparable to those of 80–120 kV DECT in predicting the EAN, but the former demonstrated a clear improvement in predicting the EDR and SPR. The 120 kV–6 MV DECT is able to predict the SPR within an accuracy of 10% for lung tissue and 5% for pelvis tissue, thereby outperforming the 80–120 kV DECT. Conclusions: The 120 kV–6 MV DECT is less sensitive to noise but more susceptible to beam hardening effects. By applying beam hardening correction, the 120 kV–6 MV DECT can predict the SPR more accurately than the 80–120 kV DECT. To utilize our DECT approach most effectively, high-quality reconstructed images are required.

The three pentaquark states, $P_c(4312)$, $P_c(4440)$ and $P_c(4457)$, discovered by the LHCb Collaboration in 2019, are widely recognized as $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Sigma_{c}$ hadronic molecules. Together with their four $\bar{D}^{(*)}\Sigma_{c}^{\ast}$ partners dictated by heavy quark spin symmetry they present a complete multiplet of hadronic molecules of $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)}$. It is widely recognized that to understand their nature, other discovery channels play an important role. In this work, we investigate two three-body decay modes of the $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)}$ molecules. The tree-level modes proceed via off-shell $\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)}$ baryons, $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)} \to \bar{D}^{(\ast)}\left(\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)}\to \Lambda_{c}\pi\right)\to\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Lambda_{c}\pi$, while the triangle-loop modes proceed through $\bar{D}^{\ast}\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)}\to J/\psi N\pi$, $\eta_{c}N\pi$ via $\bar{D}\Sigma_{c}^{(\ast)}$ rescattering to $J/\psi N$ and $\eta_{c}N$. Our results indicate that the decay widths of the $P_{c}(4457)$ and $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Sigma_{c}^{\ast}$ states into $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Lambda_{c}\pi$ are several MeV, as a result can be observed in the upcoming Run 3 and Run 4 of LHC. The partial decay widths into $\bar{D}^{(\ast)}\Lambda_{c}\pi$ of the $P_{c}(4312)$ and $P_{c}(4440)$ states range from tens to hundreds of keV. In addition, the partial decay widths of $\bar{D}^{\ast}\Sigma_{c}$ molecules into $J/\psi N \pi$ and $\eta_c N \pi$ are several keV and tens of keV, respectively, and the partial decay widths of $\bar{D}^{\ast}\Sigma_{c}^{\ast}$ molecules into $J/\psi N \pi$ vary from several keV to tens of keV. These three-body decay modes of the pentaquark states are of great value to further observations of the pentaquark states and to a better understanding of their nature., Comment: version accpeted for publication in EPJC

Rare meson decays are among the most sensitive probes of both heavy and light new physics. Among them, new physics searches using kaons benefit from their small total decay widths and the availability of very large datasets. On the other hand, useful complementary information is provided by hyperon decay measurements. We summarize the relevant phenomenological models and the status of the searches in a comprehensive list of kaon and hyperon decay channels. We identify new search strategies for under-explored signatures, and demonstrate that the improved sensitivities from current and next-generation experiments could lead to a qualitative leap in the exploration of light dark sectors., Comment: 108 pages, 25 figures, 9 tables, matches the published version

The binding energy (BE) or mass is one of the most fundamental properties of an atomic nucleus. Precise binding energies are vital inputs for many nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics studies. However, due to the complexity of atomic nuclei and of the non-perturbative strong interaction, up to now, no conventional physical model can describe nuclear binding energies with a precision below 0.1 MeV, the accuracy needed by nuclear astrophysical studies. In this work, artificial neural networks (ANNs), the so called ``universal approximators", are used to calculate nuclear binding energies. We show that the ANN can describe all the nuclei in AME2020 with a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) around 0.2 MeV, which is better than the best macroscopic-microscopic models, such as FRDM and WS4. The success of the ANN is mainly due to the proper and essential input features we identify, which contain the most relevant physical information, i.e., shell, paring, and isospin-asymmetry effects. We show that the well-trained ANN has excellent extrapolation ability and can predict binding energies for those nuclei so far inaccessible experimentally. In particular, we highlight the important role played by ``feature engineering'' for physical systems where data are relatively scarce, such as nuclear binding energies., 18 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables

Background Food-derived bioactive peptides have attracted extensive attention because of their antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor and antihypertensive effects. The conventional approaches used to acquire bioactive peptides require complicated procedures involving enzymolysis, separation and identification. So far, data-driven computing methods have become an important tool for the screening, design and mechanism exploration of bioactive peptides. The quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), a quantitative method used to describe the structure-activity relationship of compounds, has been widely used in drug design, material science, and chemistry; however, there are limited applications in food science. Scope and approach Here, we mainly focus on technologies used to perform QSAR modeling in peptides, including dataset collection, structural characterization, variable selection, correlation methods, and model validation and evaluation. We also summarize the recent applications, situations, challenges and prospects of the use of QSAR in food-derived bioactive peptides. Key findings and conclusions Researchers should make full use of the benefits of QSAR as well as face its challenges. Multiple new methods or combination strategies should be used to achieve QSAR analysis. Much research is needed to improve the knowledge of QSAR in order to discover bioactive peptides. The solution to this task requires multidisciplinary cooperation in multiple fields, including chemistry, computer science, mathematics and, of course, food science.

Food-grade Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by a mixture of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and sugar beet pectin (SBP) were fabricated for the first time. The factors affecting the microstructures, mechanical properties, and stabilities of the Pickering HIPEs were systematically investigated. The corresponding hybrid particles were also separated and characterized to reveal the formation mechanism. The results indicated that the mixture could induce the formation of HIPEs with an oil phase volume fraction (φ) of 75% using a one-step high-speed shearing process at room temperature. The composition (the mass ratio of β-CD to SBP, Rc/s) and concentration (W) of the mixture had significant effects on the formation and properties of HIPEs. When W ≥ 1.0% and Rc/s = 2:2 or 3:1, HIPEs had smaller oil droplets, higher gel strengths, better centrifugation stabilities and lutein protection effects. The spectral analysis suggested that SBP could adhere to the surface of β-CD particles to form hybrid particles during the homogenization. Compared with native β-CD particles, these hybrid particles had higher ζ-potential absolute values, and the SBP could also increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase, which contributed to the formation and properties of these HIPEs.

Starting from 2003, the discovery of a large amount of the so-called exotic hadronic states, i.e., the $XYZ$ states, the pentaquark states as well as the tetraquark states, have not only revived studies of hadron spectroscopy, but also hinted at the existence of new multi-hadron states made of hadrons other than nucleons and hyperons. We briefly comment on some of the latest studies on multi-hadron molecules in the light and heavy flavor sectors and highlight what should be done in the future., 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 table; to appear in Science Bulletin as a Perspective article

The extension of the cosmic-ray spectrum beyond 1 petaelectronvolt (PeV; 1015 electronvolts) indicates the existence of the so-called PeVatrons—cosmic-ray factories that accelerate particles to PeV energies. We need to locate and identify such objects to find the origin of Galactic cosmic rays1. The principal signature of both electron and proton PeVatrons is ultrahigh-energy (exceeding 100 TeV) γ radiation. Evidence of the presence of a proton PeVatron has been found in the Galactic Centre, according to the detection of a hard-spectrum radiation extending to 0.04 PeV (ref. 2). Although γ-rays with energies slightly higher than 0.1 PeV have been reported from a few objects in the Galactic plane3–6, unbiased identification and in-depth exploration of PeVatrons requires detection of γ-rays with energies well above 0.1 PeV. Here we report the detection of more than 530 photons at energies above 100 teraelectronvolts and up to 1.4 PeV from 12 ultrahigh-energy γ-ray sources with a statistical significance greater than seven standard deviations. Despite having several potential counterparts in their proximity, including pulsar wind nebulae, supernova remnants and star-forming regions, the PeVatrons responsible for the ultrahigh-energy γ-rays have not yet been firmly localized and identified (except for the Crab Nebula), leaving open the origin of these extreme accelerators. Observations of γ-rays with energies up to 1.4 PeV find that 12 sources in the Galaxy are PeVatrons, one of which is the Crab Nebula.

In this talk we discuss the formation of exotic hadrons with hidden charm arising from three-body interactions. To be more specific, in the strangeness sector, we predict the existence of a mesonic state, $K^*(4307)$, which is dynamically generated from the three-body interactions of the $KD\bar D^*$ system, has a mass around 4307 MeV and quantum numbers $I(J^P) = 1/2 (1^-)$. In the baryonic sector, we predict the existence of $N^*$ states, which are generated from the three-body interactions of the $ND\bar D^*$ system, with masses around 4400∼4600 MeV, widths of 2 ∼20 MeV and positive parity.

We report on the construction of an accurate relativistic chiral nucleon-nucleon interaction up to the next-to-next-to-leading (NNLO) order. We compare the so-obtained neutron-proton phaseshifts with the next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N$^3$LO) nonrelativistic ones and we show that up to $T_\mathrm{lab.}=200$ MeV, the relativistic chiral nuclear force can describe the PWA93 phaseshifts and inelasticities as well as its N$^3$LO nonrelativistic counterparts. As a result, the relativistic chiral nuclear force can be readily used for relativistic ab initio nuclear structure, reaction, as well astrophysical studies., 10 pages, 2 figures; Contribution to the 10th International Workshop on Chiral Dynamics